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Apparently, Canadian David Hearn has an American airliner to thank for getting into the British Open.

The 35-year-old Hearn gained entrance into the third major of the season on Tuesday when Mark Calcavecchia pulled out of the event at Royal Liverpool.

No official explanation was given as to why the former Open champion was not going to tee it up when the tournament begins on Thursday, but Calcavecchia tweeted: “Right now I thought I’d be on 3rd hole of mini practice rd at the Open!! Best we could do is a flight to West Palm Beach. #americanairsucks.”

What the travel issue was is unclear, but it all adds up to good fortune for Hearn.

When the Brantford, Ont., native learned of the situation, he tweeted: “Super excited to get in The Open! And as fate has it, I am playing with Sir Nick, so I will get to play and have drinks w/royalty!!”

Hearn will now play with Faldo and Todd Hamilton when the tournament begins. The trio will tee off at 10:10 a.m.

Calcavecchia, who won the Open in 1989 at Royal Troon, also tweeted: “Great to see @davidhearn got my spot! Great kid from Canada. Another place I love!! Play great David!”

Hearn, the 100th-ranked player in the world, was already in England after becoming first alternate on the weekend when Ross Fisher moved up to take Mark O’Meara’s place.

Hearn chartered a flight on Sunday night when he heard the news.

Hearn has three top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour this season and has missed seven cuts.

2-IRON MEN

erpool, he pulled a driver out of his bag but once.

Tiger used 2-irons and fairway woods to plot his was around the links setup — and to his 11th major title. And while the now-lush looking course was in very different shape back then — it had been baked golden brown by the sun and the ball rolled out — Woods and other players are still planning to make use of the long iron.

“I’ll use it a bit,” Rory McIlroy said. “I’ll use it on the first two, definitely. I think it will be an important club. I might use it like four or five times during the round. I’ll probably use a 2-iron just as much as I’ll use the driver. I’ll hit the driver four or five times and the 2-iron about the same.”

McIlroy says he usually carries a 5-wood in his bag, but thinks the 2-iron suits the terrain and wind conditions of Hoylake a bit better.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson is also planning on having a 2-iron in his bag — and one other club that he usually doesn’t carry.

“I have two clubs that are specific to this tournament: It’s a 2-iron and a 64-degree wedge that has very little bounce. Those two clubs I basically put away after this event and I bring them back out in July again,” said Mickelson, who won at Muirfield in 2013.

TIGER WANTS ANOTHER RYDER CUP

American Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson has said he will only take a healthy and in-form Tiger Woods to Scotland in September when the U.S. faces off against Europe at Gleneagles golf resort.

During his news conference on Tuesday, Woods said he had yet to talk to Watson, who was also at Royal Liverpool to play in the world’s oldest major, but that playing in the Cup competition was “special” to him.

“You build these amazing bonds and friendships and camaraderie that lasts for lifetimes,” Woods said. “And I think that’s one of the neat things about being on these teams, you start appreciating it. To go from one of the rookies to one of the veterans and be part of that whole transition over the years, it’s been fantastic. I’ve been able to be on the teams with basically Phil (Mickelson) and Jim (Furyk) for the better part of 17 years or so. Hopefully, I can do it again.”

Woods still has time to convince Watson that he should be a part of the U.S. team once more. And it starts here at Hoylake.